Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own twilight 

Chapter 1

Seven years ago

Bella

“Bella bambini! I’m gonna miss you.” my mother Renee said in her heavy Italian accent as she hugged me.

I don’t know how she could bee so energetic at 4.30 in the morning. I was leaving Italy to live with my father not wanting to be a bother to my mother and her new husband Phil. They wanted to see and travel the world as a newlywed couple.

My two older siblings Rosalie and Jasper stood behind our mother with solemn faces. They were going to stay here in Italy. Rose was staying for her engineering studies and her modeling career with which she paid for school and Jazz for his girlfriend Maria and other friends, as he was still undecided on which collage to attend to, he decided to have a year off school. And then there was me the youngest of us all sending myself to finish my last years of high school at Washington, Forks.

“Bella you could always stay here and live with your uncle Aro.” mom said. She knew it wasn’t an appealing offer. I loved my mother’s brother Aro, he was a wealthy businessman, continuing on the better side of the Valentini family business, but after our aunt Silvia died three years ago, he tries to fill the void with bimbo wives/fiancées/girlfriends almost my age.

Now he’s on to his second wife and she is the most air headed person I have ever met. That would never work. I’d rather live with Charlie than the next Pamela Anderson. Yeah, she had asked our uncle to get her a boob job for her wedding gift. Let’s just say aunt Fiorella, Fia for short was horrified (she's a little old-fashioned just like our grandparents who are in the unknown). She’s the firstborn of nonno and nonna’s and let me tell you she’s one tough cookie, she gets it from our nonno – the badass Mafioso. Aunt Fia could win a fight against anyone just like grandpa Armano, even if the evidence to prove them wrong was sitting right in front of them. That’s why se made a good damn lawyer.

Even Aro the fiercy businessman couldn’t win a battle against aunt Fia. She could be scary as hell with her overly calm voice which had an menacing effect and when you saw the fire in her eyes you knew she had no time for bullshit. She had these conversations/arguments with Aro very often  concerning her new flavors of the months but it was also the only battle aunt Fia hadn’t won, it always ended with her saying ‘will talk about it later’. She was confident in herself and was sure she would win in time. "Chi la dura la vince," she would always say.           

So these people formed my dysfunctional family, lets not forget my crazy siblings standing behind mom. There was Rose who took me in a death grip at the half packed airport whispering in my ear: “I’ll miss you tesoro.” She wasn’t one to show her feelings, hiding behind her hard facade, but she had a fierce mother bear in her that was ready to protect the ones she loved.

“You’ll come and see me often, won’t you and call me everyday.” Rose said in one heavy breath. Sometimes I felt Rosalie was more of a mother to me than our overzealous and whimsical mother. These rare moments were times when I saw the mama bear appear in a more gentle manner.

“I will.” I simply replied. Jasper could feel how heavy the air was around us. Trying to lighten up the mood, he said: “Hey, don’t forget your fratello.” in an overly joyful voice.

“I didn’t, how could I forget my military frenzied brother.” Jazz has always been the most strategic one. He was so smart, always beating Rose and me in chez, even dad when our parents were together.

I said my goodbyes hugging everyone a second time and boarding the plane with a brave smile.

I exited the airport of Sea-Tac, greeted by the grey rain clouds of Seattle. There was no bright blue sky, no yellow sun to warm my cheekbones. I’m not even sure the colorless skies of Washington have ever seen one. I stood there searching for Charlie’s police cruiser.

“Bells!” I heard my name being called. Turning to the source of sound, I saw Charlie waving at me from the end of the parking lot and walked over to him with my small amount of luggage. He gave me an awkward one-handed hug, we got in the car and started the four hour trip to Forks.

Everything was the same all the houses, shops and the street signs. Nothing had changed in the seven years I’d last been here. Except the new hospital that stood in the center of town too flashy for its surroundings.

The cruiser pulled up in front of an old white house, which I had last, known as grandma Marie and grandpa Charles’ home. Now it would be mine and Charlie’s to share.

I didn’t do anything that night. Not even unpacking my bags, there being a seed of hope of me not staying. I did as promised and called Rose. The rest of the evening, I lay on my bed, eventually falling asleep.

Translations:

Bella bambini – double meaning, beautiful girl child

nonno – grandfather

nonna – grandmother
"Chi la dura la vince." – "He who perseveres wins at last."
tesoro – treasure
fratello – brother

joaisis